Standing valve release mechanism



Jan. I1, 1949,

Filed May 12, 1947 E. M. BOARK STANDING VALVE RELEASE MECHANISM zip;

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Zinnentor [Imer M llacmk I Jan. 1 l, 1949.

Filed May 12, -1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inmate:

iatented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STANDING VALVE RELEASE MECHANISM Elmer M. Roark, Shreveport, La.

Application May 12, 1947, Serial No. 747,523

My invention relates to improvements in Well pump equipment generally, but more particularly to a type of the same adapted especially for use in oil and other wells of great depth.

My invention further appertains to improvements over Patent No. 1,801,209 granted April 14, 1931; which former patent also dealt with Well pump equipment and especially to a device for draining well tubing.

To those familiar with the art of working deep oil wells it is known that occasionally the pump or parts thereof must be removed from the well and either repaired or replaced. The lower end of the pump is provided with a standing valve, which, during the pumping operation, prevents the oil from going back down into the lower part of the well. The upper portion of the pump is provided with another valve known as a travelling valve; and the coordination of these two valves lifts the oil up through the tubing to the surface of the well, the upper portion of the pump, or piston, being attached to the end of a string of sucker rods extending up through the tubing and finally connected to the pumping equipment. The piston may be removed from the well simply by removing the string of sucker rods to which it is attached, but the lower portion of the pump, including the standing valve, is usually attached to a threaded collar or shoe provided at the lower end of the tubing. Thus, to remove the lower parts of the pump or the standing valve which is normally closed, the entire string of tubing must be pulled from the well in order to make the necessary repairs or replacements. stance the tubing must be pulled wet; that is, all of the oil above the standing valve that is trapped in the tubing must be pulled up with the tubing. Such an operation is not only difficult to perform, but also expensive, since considerable oil is lost by bringing it to the surface. In disjoining sections of the tubing at the surface of the well, the oil is naturally spilled over the ground and derrick floor as well as over the.

workmen and their tools; not only making an unsightly appearance but also creating a hazardous situation for accidents and fire.

The primary object, therefore, is to provide a means capable of being easily operated from the top of the well for opening the standing valve at the bottom of the tubing in order that the trapped oil in the working barrel and upper portion of the tubing might drain freely back into the lower sand strata from whence it was originally taken, and thus eliminate the undue strain on. the pumping equipment and the waste of oil that might normally occur.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device which includes a standing valve and which may be installed on any standard equipment, the device being ofsuch design and con- In this in- I '7 Claims. (Cl. 103-221) struction as to provide an unobstructed flow through the working barrel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device including a standing valve, which device also includes an indexing mechanism for opening or closing the standing valve at the will of the operator, by an extended stroke of the sucker rods during a pumping operation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following detailed description when viewed together with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a valve releasing mechanism embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the lower end portion of a well tubing casing, and earth strata, and showing my invention and a portion of the pumping mechanism in elevation.

Figure 3 is a broken, vertical, sectional view showing my valve release mechanism in a normally operating position with the ball of the standing valve in the closed position.

Figure 4 is the same cross section showing the telescoping portions of my valve releasing mechanism compressed and the ball of the standing valve being mechanically opened.

In the drawings numeral l0 designates the extreme lower portion of the tubing which is pro vided with a perforated section (not shown) extending some few feet into the oil bearing sand strata. On the upper end of this perforated tubing section II), and threadedly engaged therewith, is a collar ll, which is also threadedly engaged by another sectionof tubing 12 and the lower end of a pump working barrel l3. Firmly attached to the collar or anchor I l, I have provided a tapered collar or nose M with its hollow shank portion l5 extending a short distance. up into the working barrel l3. shank portion [5, I have attached my valve releasing mechanism which is designated generally by the numeral l6.

In the upper end of the working barrel I3 is the conventional pump piston which includes several rings or washers 11 secured to the lower, hollow stud l8 of the conventional cage assembly l9 which, in turn, is affixed directly tothe string of sucker rods 20. The cage assembly l9 includes the upper ball or travelling valve 2| which, in coordination with the standing valve 25, during a pumping operation, lifts the oil up through the working barrel l3 into the tubing l2 and hence up to the surface.

My valve release mechanism I6 is attached as aforementioned to theupper shank portion I5 of the tapered nose 14 by internal threads provided in a cage assembly 22 similar in construction to the well known cage asembly I9 of the pump piston. Interposed between the abutting To the upper end of this shoulders of the cage assembly 22 and the shank portion I5, I have placed a removable annular ring section 23 provided with a valve seat 24 for the standing ball valve 25.

The upper end of my cage assembly 22 terminates in a solid annular section 26 which is either provided with internal threads for receiving a threaded end of the main body portion 21 or arranged for a press fit as shownin the drawings. The openings 28 between the connecting legs 29 of the cage assembly 22 not only provide an exit for the oil into the workingbarrel |3, but also allow the standing ball valve to be displaced from its normal seat in the ring section 23 without being completely dislodged from the cage-assembly 22,

The body portion 21 extends upwardly from ltS COllllGCtlOll with the cage assembly 22 and terminates in a head 30 of slightly larger diameter, thus forming a suitable stop 3| with another shoulder provided on the inside of anencircling slidable sleeve 32. This slidable sleeve 32 is kept from axial rotation by an extending arm 33 which projects between, and in slidable relation to, a pair of the connecting legs 29 ofthe cage assembly 22. The end of this extending arm 33 terminates in a yoke or bifurcation 34 in which is placed a finger or latch 35 pivotallymounted on a pin 36. The purpose and action of this latch will be explained later in this specification.

The upper internal portion of the body 2? is arranged to slidably receive acap 31 whose solid head 38 is adapted to be engaged by the sucker rods for actuation of the device. The cap 31 is prevented from axial'rotation,- in this instance, by a pair of dog-point set screws 39 slidably positioned in vertical receiving slots 48 in the linear side Walls of'the cap 37.

It can now be seen that the entire upper portion of my releasemechanism I6 is constructed in telescopic fashion. The cap may be depressed into the hollow slidable sleeve 32 until the solid head 38 engages the upper end of the slidable sleeve 32. The slidable-sleeve-32 may also be depressed until its lower end engages the protruding upper edges of the cage assembly22.

In the hollow center of the release mechanism- I6 .I have placed a suitable compression spring 4|. The upper end of this compression spring 4! is arranged to engage the head of a trip lever 42 which is provided with'a tang-like extension 43 projecting downwardly inside the coils of the spring 4|. The opposite end of the sprin 4| rests against a small cored spring support 44 slidably mounted in the upper end of the bod portion 21.

Transversely positioned in the body 21 and anchored in the side walls thereof is a pin 45 on which is mounted a ratchet 46. It will be noted that either the ratchet 46 may be pivotally mounted on a fixed pin 45 or the pin 45 may be fixed in the side Walls of the body 21 and the ratchet pivotally mounted on the pin. In either event, the ratchet must be free to oscillate, the purpose of such oscillation to be subsequently described.

The ratchet 46 is provided. with suitable teeth 47 which frictionally engage the lower portion of thecored spring support 44 in either one of two index positions as shown in Figures 3 and 4. It will be remembered that the spring 4!, in its fully extended position, exerts a slight pressure on the underside of the head 38, thus keeping the telescoping cap 31 and the slidable sleeve 32in their fully extended positions and against the stops as formerly: described;

0i-42 engages the ratchet 46.

The body 21 is provided with a vertically extending slot 48 in one of its side walls adapted to receive an arm or stop 49 projecting from the lower side of.the ratchet 45. This arm or stop 39, When in one of the indexed positions, extends slightly beyond the circumferential edge of the body 2i; and when my actuating device is in the fully compressed position, will engage a notch 50 located in an aligning position on the inner wall of the sleeve 32.

The slidable skirt 32 is provided with holes 5| staggered in the .upper wall portions thereof to permit oil, coming up from the lower tubing Ill through the actuating device, to be discharged into the working barrel and thence into the tubing.

A detailed description of the working of my actuating device is as follows. Let us assume that a device made according to the teachin of my invention is being used in a pumping oil well and is placed at the lower end of the string of tubing as formerly described and as illustrated in Figure 2. It will be remembered that the pumping stroke of the sucker rods 26- has been set so as to sufiiciently clear the top of my actuating device l6 even on its extreme downward movement. Actual contact will never be made unless it is desired to open or close the standing valve 25 of my actuating device.

Now, let us further assume that after considerable use the rings or washer I! that constitute the pumping piston become leaky and need to be replaced, or some other minor repairs are necessary to the pumping parts which will necessitate removing the tubing from the well. It will be remembered that in the prior art type of construction the lower or standing valve is arranged to fit into its seat simply through the force of gravity plus the additional weight of the head of oil that might be above it. In this instance the tubing would have to be pulled wet; that is, it would have to bedrawn to the surface with a great quantity of oil still remaining in it; thus adding additional labor and strain on the pumping equipment as well as the loss of the oil.

My device, however, will allow the oil above the standing valve to be drained into the lower section of tubing In and be dispersed back into the sand strata. This is accomplished by allowing the weight of the sucker rods 20 with the related piston arrangement to bear directly on the head 38 of my actuating device Why an extended downward stroke ofthe sucker rods. When this takes'place the cap 3! telescopes into the slidable sleeve 32 and begins to compress the compression spring 4|.- The slidable sleeve 32 simultaneously begins to'telescope along the body 21. Just before the completely-depressed position is reached, the sharp endof the'tang portion 43 of the trip lever It will be noted from the drawings that thepoint of the center tooth of the ratchet is never in exact alignment with the central axis of the device and consequently will digress the contacting tang end either to the right or to the left as the case may be.-

In our problem of draining the tubing before removal from the well it is only necessary to place additional weight on the head 38 of my actuating device I6 when in its normal position as shown in Figure 3, and completely depress the telescoping members into the positionas shown in Figure 4; This action will project the extending arm 33 to a position where the pivoted latch or finger35" will strike the side of the cageassembly 22 and be-fo'rced between the 'ball valve Ziiand'theseat' 24, and thus remove it from its seat as shown in Figure 4. At the same time the tang 43 of the trip lever 42 has engaged the ratchet 46 until its lower projecting arm 49 has been placed in a retaining position in the notch 50 of the slidable sleeve 32. The slidable sleeve 32 is thus held in a depressed position against the reverse action of the upper spring 4|. The weight of the sucker rods may now be removed and the lower standing valve will retain the position as shown in Figure 4, allowing the oil to. drain back into the lower portion of the well. The upper cap member 38 will, of course, assume the position as shown by the dotted lines since there is no restriction of its sliding movement against the action of the compression spring 4|. It will be seen that when the cap assumes the position thus mentioned the tang 43 of the trip lever 42 is drawn out ofithe cored spring support 44 and from engagement with the ratchet 4B, and will align itself on a central axis position ready for 'another indexing of the ratchet by another pressure contact with the string of sucker rods as formerly described. Occasionally it is desired to drain oil from above the standing valve for flushing sand back into the lower portion of the Well. In this instance it would only be necessary to allow the weight of sucker rods to make contact with the head of my actuating device for opening the standing valve and to make a similar contact for closing it after the oil had drained through, without the necessity of removing the tubing at all.

It will be noted here that the finger which is arranged to wedgeitself between the standing ball valve 25 and its seat 24, is provided with an elongated slot 53. The purpose of this slot 53 is toallow a slight upward movement of the finger 35 when it engages the cage assembly. 22 and the standing ball valve 25. When this-is done, the full weight of the movement is placed against the end of the finger and the lower end of the extending arm 33. This condition is better shown by a reference to Figure 4. It can be seen here that there will never be any danger of shearing off the small pin 36 due to the considerable load that might be applied to the release mechanism. In the latter case the weight of the string of sucker rods 20 would again be applied to the head 38 of the actuating device IS, in which event the tang 43 would be directed to the opposite side of the ratchet and rotate the same in an opposite direction. It will be remembered that when the sleeve 32 is locked in the depressed position as shown in Figure 4 there is a small clearance 52 between the lower end thereof and the upper end of the cage assembly 22. Thus, when the sleeve 32 is fully depressed again and abuts the cage assembly, the notch will be lowered correspondingly and allow the projecting arm 49 of the ratchet 46 to swing radially out of its retaining position and allow the sleeve 32 to spring back to the position as shown in Figure 3.

This would also remove the restricting finger 35 from between the valve 25 and its seat 24 and allow the ball valve 25 to return by force of gravity to a normally operative position.

It will be remembered that the length of the tang 43 of the trip lever 42 is so arranged in respect to the stops of the cap 31 that it will in no wise injure the ratchet mechanism due to excessive loads being placed on the head 38, such loads being carried by the respective stops on the sleeve 32 and the lower cage assembly 22. It will also be noted that due to the construction and arrangement of the spring 4| in pressing against the-slidably positioned trip lever 42, the point of the tang 43 will always return to a neutral positiononthe central axis of the device when it is removed from an indexing. position.

When the sharp end of the tang 43 engages the ratchet 46 the cored spring support 44 is free to move upwardly against the pressure of the compression spring 4| and thus allow the teeth of the ratchet to slide across its lower face to a new index position, which position will then be held until a further indexing is made by the action of the tang 43 as alreadydescribed.

.It will-be noted that the teeth 41 of the ratchet 46 are cut. across the transverse face thereof and are sufiiciently wide enough to be able to contact both peripheral edge portions of the cored spring support 44; the points of two of the teeth being adapted to prevent untimely oscillation of the ratchet 46 due to pressurefrom the compression spring 4| against the slidable'cored spring support 44.

While'I have described my invention in detail as might be applied to an oil well, it will be understood that otherapplications and other construction might be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A standing valve'release mechanism comprising a main hollow body portion adapted to be attached to a standing valve cage assembly or the like; a sleeve slldably mounted on said hollowbody portion; a cap member slldably mounted in the upper end of said sleeve; tripping means mounted on said sleeve adapted for lifting a standing valve upon a downward movement there-of by a pressure exerted on said sleeve by said cap member; means 'for locking said sleeve in its lowered position including a ratchet rotatably mounted in said hollow body portion and a cored spring support slidably mounted in said hollow body portion and resting on said ratchet; saidloeking means adapted for maintaining said valve'in an open position after pressure is removed from said cap member; actuating means carried by said cap member including a head portion adapted to contact the inner top surface of said cap member and including a depending prong positioned to move through said cored spring support; a coiled compression spring sur rounding said prong and interposed between the head of said prong and said cored spring support; said spring being adapted to maintain said cap in a normally upwardly extended position with respect to said encircling sleeve and to maintain said sleeve in a normally upwardly extended position with respect to said hollow body portion; said prong being adapted for engagement with said ratchet to actuate said locking means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ratchet is provided with an upwardly disposed tooth, the point of said tooth extending radially beyond the normal radius of said ratchet; said tooth interposed between notches and forming the inner side walls of the same; and wherein the outer wall surfaces of said notches, together with the adjacent circumferential surface portions of said ratchet define additional pairs of teeth; said first mentioned tooth being extended far enough to position the vertices of said notches in horizontal, offset positions with respect to the vertical line of travel of said prong whereby said prong, upon contacting a side of said first mentioned tooth, is digressed from its normal, downward axial movement to engage one of said 7 notches on one side oflsaid tootiiifor a'clockwlse rotation of said ratchet and-to engage the opposite notch upon a :mcceeding:downward:move ment for a counter-clockwise rotationof said ratchet. I

3; A deviceas claimed in claim 2ilwherein'the teeth ofisaid ratchet are madeiwideenough to span said cored spring support; whereby th'eisame may rest upon a pair of the teeth of said ratchet in both thelocked andunlockedrpositionsdof the same.

4. A device as-claimedfinclaimfl, wherein :said ratchet is provided' with an't extending arm member substantially diametrically opposite said tooth and adapted'to'rotate therewith;lsaidv ex-' tending arm member adapted to be slidably projected through a slot provided inthe-side wall of said body member; a stop vprovided -onthe' ine ner wall of said sleeve and "adapted; in its lowered position, for engagement with-said extending arm member; said extending arm member being adapted to be engaged and disengaged with said stop by clockwiseand counter-clockwisewrotations of said ratchet by said actuating member.

5. The device as claimed in claim i wherein said stop constitutes a notch on the innerv peripheral wall surface of said sleeve and? located'at' a sufficient vertical distance thereon as toeng with said extending arm member upon a downward movement of said sleeve.

6. Adevice as claimed in claim-1 wherein said tripping means comprises a substantially wedgeshaped finger positioned to contact an upper surface of said cageassembly and astanding valve therein; said finger provided with an elongated slot slidably embracing a fixed, positioning pin mounted in said sleeve; said slot being long enough to permit a sufiicient downward movement of said pin to allow said sleeve .to makedirect contact with the upperend of said finger.

7. A device of the character described in combination with a standing valve assembly including a cage anda valve in said cage for oil wells or the like, comprising a main hollow body portiontadapted forrengagementi withthe. upper end oflsaid cage; a sleeve slidably mountedi'onsaid. bodysportion, azcap member slidabl mounted" in said' sleeve; said sleeve and said cap memberbeing adapted to expand and contract in telescopic fashion with respect to said body member; stopsprovided on said sleeve and'said'cap member; springx means mounted: in said body for urging saidicapi member and said sleeve against said stopstintanextended telescoped position; means for: opening said v.valvefin :said' standing valve assembly; including a substantially wedge-shaped finger: pivota-lly" mounted on said sleeve and adaped-tzfor lifting said valve by a wedging action between the same and said cage of said standing valve. assembly; locking means for maintaining said'valve in an open position comprising-a peripherally disposed notch positioned on the inner. wall surface of said sleeve; a rotatable ratchet'having a fixed, extended arm member thereon; means forproducing oscillatory movementscof said ratchet to effect an engagement and disengagement of said extended arm memher with said notch; whereby said valve is maintained inan'open position by one of the oscillae tory-movementsoi said ratchet and whereby said means for producing said oscillatory movements of said-ratchet is adapted to rotate the same to permit a withdrawal oisaid extended arm memher from said notch and a simultaneouswithdrawal of said wedge-shaped finger to allow said valve to move to a closed position under the force of gravity.

ELMER M. ROARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number- Name Date 1,660,486 Friend Feb. 28,' 1928 1,801,209 Ro-ark Apr. 14, 1931 1,950,328 Scohy et' al Mar. 6,1934: 

